Motor-control system.



W. '11. POWELL. 111010111 001111301. SYSTEM. APPLICATION FILED MAY 21, 1907.

988,028 Patented Mar. 28, 1911.

1 36 D b d i 3 Km 1 nu 211K m 117 M11 To allwhmn it concern:

' STATES PATENT onmcn WILLIAM H. POWELL, OI NOBWQOD, GHIO, ASSIGNOR '10 ALLIS-GEALMEBQ COMPANY,

A comm'rron 0! NEW JERSEY, AND THE BULLOCK ELEG TRIG MANUFACTURIN 0mm, .5 CORPORATION 05!" OBI-'0'.

. moron-contract. sYs'rEm.

Specification of Letters-Patent.

Patented Mar. 28, 1911.

Application filed may 21, 1907. Serial m; 374,920.

. Be it. known that I, WILLIAM H. POWELL, citizen of the United States, residing at Norwood, in. the county 0t Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful- Improvements in Motor-Control Systems, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification- Mvy invention relates to motor control systems.

* number of systems have been proposed whereby the moving arts in rolling mills and in hoisting. machinery may be electrically driven and economically and accurately control-led. In the most successful oi these systems a special generator has been used for supplying thearmature of the motor which does the work and this motor has been controlled by varying and. reversing the field cat the generator and sometimes by varying the field of the motor. The field circuits of both the motor and the special generator have usually been supplied fromsome auxiliary source of current. But as the size of the units increases, considerable diflicul-ty arises on account of the tendency to spark at the commutator-s of the machines, especially when operating, with large armature curren-tsandr weak fields, and

also because of the large" currents which the manually operated controllers have to con trol'. Besides there has been nothing to prevent a. controller firoml being operated as rapidly as desired,- which has allowed dangerously large -arlmttuzre currents bothv in starting and: in stopping It is also often undesirable that the field circuits of the motor and special generator should extend tothe-'operators pulpit, often located some Somewhat more s ecifica-lly my invention comprises the comination ot. a working motor, a generator sup lying the armature of said motor, a secon motor for driving said generator and arranged to vary in speed! im response tovariations in load on said generator, a fly-wheel' mechanically connected to said generator, a separate source of electromotive force supplying the fieldthe combination of a working motor provided with anti-sparking windings, a generator also supplied with. anti-sparking windings and supplying the armature of said motor, and means for varying the field strengths of said generator and said motor.

From another point of view my invention comprises the combination of a generator,

a motor the armature of which is supplied b said generator, means for varying the eectromotive force of said generator, and means controlled by the armature current of said generator for preventing a too rapid variation in the generator electromotive force.

Other features of my invention will appear from the description and drawings and will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

Thelsingle figure of the drawing shows diagrammatically one embodiment of my invention..

In this figure A is an electric motor of thethree-phase induction type, though obviously other forms of motors could be used instead. In the rotor circuit of this motor is a starting resistance 1 adjustable by means ofa short-circuiting bar 2, and a regulating resistance 3 arranged to be out in and out by a solenoid switch 4,, in turn responsive to the current strength in the primary circuit off the motor, as through a series-transformer 5. Other means for varying, the speed. of the motorA. ma be used if desired. A generator armature v is driven by the motor A, being preferably d'irectl connected thereto, and on the common sli aft of the motor A and. the generator B is a heavy fly wheel C. The generator 13' supplies current to the armature D of the working motor, which may be used to drive any desired machinery, Anti sparkimg windings b and a? are provided for the machines B and D. These windings are preferably con.-

nected directly in the armature circuit of these machines and may be of any desired type but are here shownas being wound on auxiliary or commutating poles so placed as to assist the commutation.

The field windings Z) of the generator and d of the working motor are supplied from any suitable'direct current source through a switch 6, the same source also preferably supplying the various controlling circuits. In the circuit of the field coils Z is a reversing switch 7, which is biased toward its middle or open position but which may be moved to its extreme positions by solenoids 8 and 9 respectively to complete the generator field circuit in the desired direction.

A number of switches 11 to are provided, the switches 12 to 15 normally short-circuiting resistance sections 17 to 20 respectively in the circuit of the motor field coils (I. These switches may be raised by solenoids 21 to 25 respectively, theswitches 11 to 1 1 when raised short-circuiting resistance sections 26 to 29 respectively in the circuit o1 the generator field coil 5.

An arm 31 of an intermediate controller E, driven by a reversible motor 32, controls the solenoids 8, 9, 21, 22, 23, 24 and 25. The motor 32 is controlled by a master controller H, the position of the arm 31, and a sole noid operated switch 33. The switch 33 normally connects one terminal or" the motor 32 to the auxiliary supply circuit, but when the current in the armature circuit of the machines 13 and D rises to a predetermined value, the solenoid 32 lifts the switch 33 to disconnect the pilot motor from its supply circuit and short-circuit the armature of said motor upon itself to brake it.

A non-inductive resistance 35 is connected in series with the field coils b. This resistance has an ohmic value several times as great as that of the field coil with which it is in series and its purposeis to diminish the time constant of the field magnet b, the time constant of a circuit being a function of its inductance divided by its resistance. Thus,

by increasing the resistance of the field circuit without increasing its inductance, the current strength being kept the same, the time constant thereof is reduced. By this means quick reversals of the motor D may be more readily obtained. If desired a similar resistance 36 may be placed in the working motor field circuit in order to reduce its time constant, although the current in this circuit is never reversed but only varied in strength.

In order to take the field discharge of the coils b at the time the circuit through said coils is broken, a high resistance 37 may be permanently connected across said coils. If desired an additional resistance may be provided to assist in taking this field discharge,

this resistance being connected acros said coils onl when the reversing switch 7 is in its midd e or open position.

The operation of the system is as follows :The primary circuit of motor A is closed and the motor started by moving the bar 2 to cutout the resistance 1. The switch d is held open by its solenoid at this time because of the heavy current required for starting the motor. If desired, other means may be used to insure the open condition of this switch durin starting. After the motor has gained suficient speed and the starting resistance has been cut out, the solenoid switch f: is allowed to close to cut out resist-- ance 3 because of the decrease in the primary current of motor A; The fly-wheel C- and generator armature B are also started with the motor A, and the fly-wheel stores mechanical energy by its rotation. During this starting the arm 40 of the master controller H and the arm 31 of the intermediate controller E are in their vertical or oil positions. The switch 6 now being closed, the motor field d is at its strongest, for it has none of the resistance sections 17 to 20 in circuit with it. The generator field b is denergized because the reversing switch 7 is in its middle or open position. The arm 40 is now moved from the contact 43 to one of the other contacts on either side thereof in the proper direction to give the motor D thedesired direction of rotation. Assume that this arm is moved into engagement with contact 41. This closes the circuit through the arm 40, contact 41, contact segment 52, arm 31, contact segment 51, field coil 46 and armature 32 of the pilot motor, and switch 33, and causes said motor to rotate to move the arm 31 in the proper direction, say anticlockwise. As the arm 31 leaves the vertical, it first engages the contact button 61 to complete the circuit of the soleno1d 8 to closethe reversing switch 7 in the proper d rection, say to the left. This completes the circuit of the field coil '25 through the reslstance sections 26 to 29 and causes said enerator to enerate a small electromotive orce, which,

ing impressed on the armature D, causes the working motor to start and rotate at a low speed. As the motor 32 continues to move the arm 31 counter-clockwise, and arm engages" button 62 and leaves button 61 to. connect the solenoid 21 in series with the solenoid 8 to close the switch 11. This shortcircuits the resistance section 26 to increase the field stren h and therefore the electromotive force 0 the enerator B, thereby 1ncreasing the speed 0 the working motor D. It may also be arranged to cut a section of resistance into circuit with the field wmding d to decrease the field strength of the working motor to aid in the increasing of its speed, though preferably the motor field strength is not varied until later. As the arm 31 continues who moved by the motor 32 it successively connects in circuit the solenoids 22, 23, 24 and 25 to raise the switches 12, 13, 14 and 15, thus gradually increasing the field strength of the generator and decreasing the field strength of the working motor, both of which tend to increase the speed of said motor. When the last switch 15 has,been raised the pilot motor 32 will stop because the arm 31 has left the segment 52. There may be any number of the solenoids 21 to 25 and a corresponding number of switches 11 to 15. The individual switches of this group may control resistance sections in. both the generator and motor field circuits, as do the switches 12, 13 and 14, or in one only of said circuits, as do the switches 11 and 15, as desired.

As the solenoids 21 to are successively connected in series with the solenoid 8, the resistance of the circuit including said solenoids is gradually increased, thus slightly diminishing the current in said. circuit. In order to avoid a too great variation in the current on this account, a resistance 48 is preferably connected in the circuit including the solenoids. The value ,of this resistance relative to the resistance of the solenoids may be such as to make the variation of currentdue to the cutting in of the solenoids 21 to 25- as small asdesired. If

the arm is moved only from button 43.

reached contact 63, thereby having caused the closing of the switches 11 and 12, it will also have left the contact segment 53, thereby breaking the circuit of the pilot motor 32.

If the load is heavy the working motor requires more power for its starting than the motor A can furnish. The current rising in the primary of transformer 5 by reason of this heavy load, the switch 4 is opened, thus inserting resistance 3 in the rotor circuit of motor A. This increases the slip of motor A and permits said motor to slow down, thus allowing the fly-wheel .C to give up some of the mechanical energy it has stored, which energy helps the motor A to drive the generator B to supply electrical energy at the; rate demanded by the motor D to drive its load.

\Vhen it is desired to slow down or stop the motor I) the arm 40 is moved toward or to the contact 43. This causes the motor 32 to move the arm 31 back toward the vertical, allowing some or all of the switches 15, 14,

13, 12, 11 and 7 to return to their normal ator to supply the armature B, the latter serving as a motor to help restore energy to the fly-wheel C. There is powerful braking effect upon the working motor due to its acting as a generator.

lVhen-the load on the generator B diminishes below the value at which the switch 4 opened, either because the motor I) has ceased accelerating or because said motor is being slowed down and is running as a generator to drive the machine B as a motor,

the diminished current in the primary of the tra-nsforn'ier 5 causes the solenoid switch 4 to close. This increases the speed of the motor A so that the latter may supply or help supply energy to the fly-wheel C. The flywheel thus stores up any excess of energy supplied when the rate of such supply e2;-

coeds the rate at which energy is demanded by the working motor, and gives up said stored energy whenever the rate of energy demanded is greater than the rate of energy supplied.

In case the movement of the arm 31 should be so rapid, either toward ,or from the vertical, that it causes'the current in the arma-- ture circuit of the machines B and D to rise beyond a predetermined value, the solenoid 34 lifts the switch 33 to disconnect the motor 32 from the source of supply and short-circuit the armature of said motor upon itself to brake it. This causes the arm 31 to stop wherever it may be until the cur rent in the armature circuit of the working motor has fallen to a safe value, when the switch 33 drops to reconnect the motor to its source of current supply.

When the arm 40 is moved in the other direction from the vertical to engage the contacts 44 or 45, the arm 31 is caused to move similarly in a clockwise direction, energizing the solenoid 9 to close the reversing switch 7' to the right and causing as many of the switches 11 to 15 to be raised as desired. The cycle described above is repeated save that the direction of rotation of the working motor D is reversed.

the motor D from any value in one direction to any value in the other direction the arm 40 is moved from the contact with which it is in engagement, say 42, to a contact on the other side of 43, say '45. This causes arm 31 to move to its extreme clockwise position, so that the switches l2, l1 and 7 are returned to their normal position in the order named, the switch 7 then moved to the right and the switches 11 to 15 raised in the order named. By the arrangement. of contact segments 51 to 60 shown, the motor 32 will move the arm 31 to a. position corresponding to any circuit closmg position of the arm 40, whatever the position of the arm 31 may previously have been.

The movement of the arm 31 may be stopped at any point by so moving the arm that it is not in engagement with any of the contacts 41 to 45 inclusive. There may be any number of contacts cooperating with the arm 40, the number of contact segments 51 to suitably corresponding.

As the direction of current in the armatures of the machines B and D reverses, it also reverses in the commutating windings Z) and d. Thus the polarity of the commutating poles is correct at all times.-

In using the term inversely in this description exact inverse proportion is not necessarily intended. Similarly the use of the term simultaneously is not intended to mean exact simultaneity of action.

Many modifications may be made in the precise arrangements here shown and described and all such which do not involve a departure from the spirit and scope of my invention I aim to cover in the following claims.

What I claim as new is Y 1. A motor control system comprising a separately excited motor, a separately excited generator exclusively supplying the armature thereof, means for controlling the electro-motive force of said generator, and a manually controlled rotary motor for operating said means.

2. A motor control system comprising a motor, a generator supplying the armature thereof, an auxiliary source of electromotive force for energizing the fields of said motor and said generator, and a remotely controlled rotary motor operating means for controlling the electro-motive force of said generator.

3. A motor control system comprising a separately excited 'motor, a separately excited generator supplying the armature thereof, and a remotely controlled rotary motor controlling means for varying the field strengths of said motor and said. genorator.

4. A motor control system comprising a motor, a generator supplying the armature thereof, an auxiliary source of electromotive force for energizing the fields of said motor and said generator, means for varying the field strengths of said motor and said generator, and a rotary motor for operating said means.

5. A motor control system comprising a separately excited motor, a separately excited generator exclusively supplying the armature thereof, means for varying and reversing the electro-motive force of said generator, a rotary motor foroperating said means, and remote means for controlling said rotary motor.

6. A motor control system comprising a motor, a generator supplying the armature thereof, an auxiliary source of electromotive force for energizing the fields of said motor and said generator, and a remotely controlling rotary motor operating means for varying and reversing the electro-motive motely controlled rotary motor for operating.

an arm controlling said rheostat.

8. A motor control system comprising a motor, a generator supplying the armature thereof, an auxilary source of electromotive force for energizing the fields of said motor and said generator, a rheostat for varying and reversing the field of said generator, and a remotely controlled rotary motor for moving a controlling arm for said rheostat. i

9. A motor control'system comprising a motor, a generator supplying the armature thereof, a rotary controller for the field strength of said generator, and a manually controlled rotary motor for operating said controller.

10. A motor control system comprising a motor, a generator supplying the armature thereof, a rotary controller for the field strengths of said generator and said motor, and a rotary motor for operating said controller.

11. A motor control system comprising a motor, a generator supplying the armature thereof, a rotary controller for the field strength of said generator, a rotary motor for operating said controller, and means for controlling said motor from a distant point and by the position of said controller.

12. A motor control system comprising a motor, a generator supplying the armature thereof, a rotary controller for the field strengths of said generator and said motor, a rotary motor for operating said controller, and means whereby said rotary motor is controlled from a distant point and by the position of said controller.

13. A motor control system comprising a motor, a generator supplying the armature thereof, a rotary controller for the field strengths of said motor and said generator, a rotary motor for operating said controller, and means for controlling said rotary motor from a distant point and by the position of said controller. 1

14. A motor control system comprising a motor, a generator supplying the armature thereof, means for controlling the electromotive force of said generator, a motor for operating said means, and means for controlling said last mentioned motor by the position of the aforesaid means.

15. A motor control system comprising a motor, a generator supplying the armature thereof, means for controlling the electromotive force of said generator, a motor for thereof, a' set of ma operating said means, and means for controlling said last mentioned motor from a distant point and by the position of said first mentioned means.

16. A motor. control systeincomprising a motor, agenerator supplyin the armature thereof, means for control in the field strengths of said motor and sai generator,

2 motor for operating said means, and means for controlling said last mentioned motor from a distant point and by'the position of said first mentioned means.

I 17. A motor control system comprising a motor, a generator supplying the armature thereof, means for controlling the value and direction of the electro-motive force of said generator, a motor for operating said means, and means for controlling said last men- .tioned motor from a distant point and by the trolling said lastmentioned motor manually from a remote point and automatically by the position of the controller and the armature current of the generator."

20. A motor control system comprising a motor, a generator supplying the armature thereof, a controller for the electro-motive force of said generator, a motor for operating said controller, and means for controlling the said last mentioned motor by the position of the controller and by the armature current of the generator.

21. A system of motor control comprisinga motor, a generator supplying the armature thereof, a set of ma etically o erated switches for varying and reversing t e field strength of said generator, a movable'arm for controlling said switches, and a remotely controlled motor -for moving said arm. I 22. A system of motor control comprising a motor, a generator supplying the armature etically operated switches for controlling the field strength of said generator, a movable arm for controlling said switches, a motor for movin said arm, and means for controlling sai last mentioned motor from a distant point and by the position of said arm.

23. A system of motor control comprising a motor, a generator supplying the armature thereof, a set of magneticall operated switches for controlling the fie d strepgthtrolling said switches, a motor for movin said ,arm, and means for controlling sai last mentioned motor by the position of said arm and by the armature current of said" generator. a a

24. Asystem of motor control ccmprising a motor, a generator supplying the armature thereof, a set of magnetically operated switches for-controlling the field strength of said generator, a lmovable arm for controlling said switches, a motor for moving said arm,,and means for controlling said last mentioned motor from aremote point and by the armature current of said generator.-

25. A system of motor control comprising a motor, a generator supplying the armature thereof, a set of'magnetically operated switches for controlling the field strength of said generator, a movable arm for controlling said switches, a motor for movin said arm, and means for controlling sai last mentioned motor from a remote oint, by the position of said arm, and by t e armature current of said generator.

26. A motor control sys em comprising a motor, a generator sup lying the armature thereof, a main controller for varying the field stren th of said generator, a master controller or the main controller, and means for stopping the progression of said main controller in response to movements of the master controller when the current supplied by said generator exceedsa predetermined value. 1

27. In combination, two dynamo-electric machines, a main controller for var ing the relative field strengths of said mac ines to cause them alternately to act as generator to supply the armature of the other machine,

a master controller for the main controller and means for sto ping the progression of said main'control er in response to movements of the master controller when the armature current of said machines exceeds a predetermined value.

28. A'motor control system comprising a motor, a generator supplyin the armature of said motor, a main contro er for varying the field strengths of said I generator an said motor, a master controller for the main controller, and means for stopping the movement of said main controller 1n response to movementsof the master controller when the current in the armatures of said machines exceeds a predetermined value.

29. A motor control system comprising a motor, a generator supplying the armature of saidmotor, remotely controlled power- 0 rated means for varying the electromotive force of said generator, and means acting on said power-operated means for preventin it from causln "a too rapld decrease in sai electromotive' orce.

30. In combination, a motor, a master low the movements of the master controller,

and means for stopping the progression of the main controller in case of a too rapid decrease in the speed of said motor.

32. In combination, a motor, a master controller having different positions for difier ent motor speeds, a main controller for varying the electro-motive force impressed on the motor armature and arranged to follow the movements of the master controller, and

means for stopping the progression of the main controller in either direction in case the current in the motor armature rises above a predetermined value.

83. In combination, a motor, a master controller having different positions for different motor speeds, a main controller for the motor arranged to follow the movements of the master controller, and means for stopping the pro essionof the main controller in the speedecreasing direction in case the current in the motor armature exceeds a predetermined value.

34. In combination, a generator having a separately excited field circuit, a field resistance, switches for connecting said field circuit to a source of current for either direction of current flow and for regulating the amount of said resistance in said circuit, a master-switch for controlling the operation of said switches, a motor connected to said generator, and means responsive to the current in the motor circuit for so regulating the rate at which said switches respond to movements of said master-switch that during acceleration, reversal and deceleration of said motor the current in the motor circuitv can not exceed a certain value.

35. In combination, a generator having a separately excited field circuit, a field resistance, electrically controlled switches for connecting said field circuit to a source of current through said resistance for either direction of current flow and for regulatin the amount of said resistance in the fie d circuit, a master-switch for controlling the operation of said switches, a motor connected to said generator, and means responsive tothe current inthe motor circuit for regulating the rate at which said switches cut out said resistance when the master-switch is thrown to an on position said resistance when the master-switch is thrown to the ofi position.

36. In combination, a generator having a separately excited field circuit, a field re- .sistance, electricall controlled switches for connecting said eld circuit to a source through said resistance for either direction of current flow and for regulatin the amount of said resistance in the field circuit, a master-switch for controlling the operation of said switches, a motor connected to said generator, and means nsive to the current in the motor circuit or regulating the rate at which said switches res 0nd to a movement of the master-switch rom any position to another.

37. In combination, a generator having a separately excited field circuit, a field resistance, switches for regulating the amount of said resistance in said circuit, a master switch for controlling the operation of said switches, a motor connected to said generator, and means responsive to the current in the motor circuit for regulating the rate at which said switches respond to movements of said master switch.

38. In combination, a generator having a separately excited field circuit, a. field resistance, electrically controlled switches for regulating the amount of said resistance in the field circuit a master-switch for controlling the operatlon of said switches, a motor connected to said generator, and means responsive to the current in the motor circuit for regulating the rate at which said switches cutout said resistance when the master-switch is moved to increase the motor speed and the rate at which said switches reinsert said resistance when the master switch is moved to decrease the motor speed.

39. In combination, a generator having a separately excited field circuit, a field resistance, electrically controlled switches for regulating the amount of said resistance in the field circuit, a master switch for controlling the operation of said switches, a motor connected to said generator, and means responsive to the current in the motor circuit for regulating the rate at which said switches respond to a movement of the master switch from any position to another.

40. In combination, a generator, 8. motor troller for controlling the electromotive force of said generator, a master controller for controlling the operation of said poweroperated controller, and means responsive to the current in the motor circuit for controlling the rate at which the power-operated controller res nds to movements of the master co'ntro er.

41. In combination, a generator, a motor supplied thereby, a plurality of power-operated switches for controlling. the electroand the rate at which said switches reinsert supplied thereby, a power-operated conmotive force of said generator, a master controller for controlling the operation of said power-operated switches, and means responsive to the current in the motor circuit for regulating the rate at which said switches res 0nd to movements of the master contro ler.

42. In combination, a generator, 0. motor, the armatures of the generator and motor being connected in series and the generator having a separately excited field, a poweroperated controller for'controlling the field strength of the enerator, a master 'controller for control ing the operation of said power-operated controller, and means re-. sponsive to the current in the circuit including the armatures of the generator and the motor for controlling the rate at which said power-o erated controller responds to movements 0 the master controller.

43. In combination, a motor, a generator,

the armatures of the. generator and the motor being connected in a series circuit and the generator having a separatel excited field, a plurality of power-operate switches for controlling the field stren h of said enerator, a master-controller or controling the operation of said switches, and means responsive to the current in the circuit including the ar'matures of the generator and the motor for regulating the rate at which said switches respond to movements of the master controller.

44. In combination, a generator, a motor supplied thereby, an electrically operated controller for varying the electromotive force of said generator, a master switch for controlling the o eration of said electrically operated control er, and means responsive to the current in the armature circuit of said motor for regulating the rate at which said electrically operated controller is op-' erated in response to movements of the master switch.

45. In combination, a generator, a motor connected thereto, a plurality of electrically operated switches for controlling the electromotive force of said generator, a master switch for controlling the operation of said switches, and means responsive to the current in the armature circuit of the motor for regulating the rate at. which the electrically operated switches respond to movements of the master switch.

46. In combination, a generator, a motor connected thereto, a power-operated controller for controlling the electromotive force of said generator, a master controller for controlling the operation of said poweroperated controller, and means responsive to the current in the armature of said motor for stopping the progression of the power operated controller in response to movements of the master controller when the current in said circuit reaches a predetermined value. v

47 In combination, a generator, 9. motor connected thereto, a plurality of power-operated switches for contrdlling the electromotive force of said generator, a master controller for controlling the operation of said switches, and means responsive to the current in the armature circuit of said motor for stopping the progression of said switches in response to movements of the master controller when the current in said circuit exceeds a predetermined value.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM H. POWELL.

Witnesses:

Geo. B. SCHLEY, FRED J. KINsnY. 

